Boxing champion Jai Opetia ‘told police officers to “f*** off” and urinated in cell’ after nightclub arrest
AUSTRALIAN boxing world champion Jai Opetaia was slammed by a magistrate for aggressive behaviour towards police and urinating in his cell after an arrest.
Opetaia was charged with remaining in the vicinity of a licensed premises after being excluded, behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and using offensive language in a public place.
The IBF champion became aggressive and refused to answer police questions.
And court documents reveal he began banging on his cell door, urinated in his prison and verbally abused officers following his recent arrest.
Charges relate to an August 14 night out in Sydney where the unbeaten boxer and a friend attempted to enter Home Nightclub on Cockle Bay Wharf.
The pair walked towards the exit to the premises, where the security guard denied them entry – telling them to use the correct entrance.
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They then moved towards the security guard, prompting five men to grab Opetaia and move him away.
The cruiserweight star was asked to leave after getting into an argument with security – but he remained in the area.
He was restrained until police arrived and put him in handcuffs.
According to court documents, Opetaia became aggressive with police and loudly said ‘f**k you’ to the officers who gave him a final warning and told him he was being recorded.
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He said: “You f***ing idiots, I’ve sat here arrested… for nothing.”
He also shouted at one officer: “You are a dumb four-eyed piece of s***.”
Opetaia faced court for the first time on Wednesday where defence lawyer Jason Murakami entered a plea of guilty on his behalf.
Mr Murakami asked magistrate Daniel Covington to consider “exercising discretion” given that Opetaia entered a guilty plea, had no criminal history and the objective seriousness was low.
The lawyer said his client was very remorseful and worried about his poor behaviour more than his sporting career being affected.
Opetaia shot to fame in July when he defeated Latvian Mairis Briedis, 37, to win his title belt.
He has also represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics at the age of just 16 and then the 2014 Commonwealth Games.